


He's Not Coming Back

by KyeAbove



Series: On The Way Of Black Birds [6]
Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kuroba Kaito Is Dead, Minor Hakuba Saguru/Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou Kid, One Shot, Past Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:41:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23944081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyeAbove/pseuds/KyeAbove
Summary: Three years after becoming Kaitou KID to find clues to solve Kaito’s murder, Saguru finds Pandora.
Relationships: Hakuba Saguru & Kudou Shinichi | Edogawa Conan
Series: On The Way Of Black Birds [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1726024
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	He's Not Coming Back

**Author's Note:**

> This one-shot is in the same AU as [Somewhere In the Past](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23810977)
> 
> Since this is set even closer to after Kaito's death, Saguru is even more of a wreck than he is in the main story.

It wasn’t even subtle. The gem was red, and while recently discovered in an old woman’s stored collection, it felt all too easy. When he’d heard on the news that it was being displayed, he’d almost laughed. Even getting it had been easy. Saguru wouldn’t have believed it even now, but it was all too clear when he held it up to the moonlight. 

It glowed red. No tears or anything else he’d heard about this accursed gem, but he was sure that was because the comet wasn’t there above him. He did feel the magic of it despite the lack of flare. It slowly warmed in his hands, and Saguru was almost glad he’d lost his glove in the chase. It was a pleasant, pulsing warmth. 

“Pandora…” Saguru fully expected Snake’s men to show up, but the air was silent and there was only a light breeze to feel. Saguru lowered the gem from the moonlight, and slipped it into his pocket. He’d found the one thing that no other KID had. He had found Pandora. 

It seemed wrong. He was the mockery of KID, using the identity for his personal means. Not to show off, not to have any bit of fun. Yet he’d finally done what even Kuroba couldn’t. 

Saguru would have cried right there and then but he couldn’t afford to show weakness while in the suit. 

Once again, he looked around for the usual criminals, but they were nowhere to be found. Did they think this was all too easy and convenient, and thought it was a trap? Snake usually never cared about traps. 

Either way, Saguru felt like a weight had been lifted. The very thing Kuroba had died searching for was now in his pocket. 

Pandora, which had so many alleged uses. Saguru had scoffed at the thoughts before, but here he was, with a truly magic gem. He began to wonder, and hope, and even pray a little. The stone was said to be the source of immortality. Maybe it had even more life and death properties… 

Saguru didn’t usually bring personal effects with him when he put on the suit, but he’d been so suspicious of this being Pandora, that he had brought along a gem of his own. It’d been a cruel gift then, but now it was a source of hope. Kuroba had at least been here for the discovery.

Kuroba Kaito had been cremated, and while Saguru had been aware of the concept, he’d still been confused and upset when Kuroba Chikage had delivered him a diamond made from the ashes. Saguru was sure Kuroba wanted to be done with the whole Kaitou KID business and this seemed a cruel fate for the dead man.

Still, now Saguru held both gems together, and put them both up to the moonlight. 

“Please, Pandora, You can bring him back, right?” Pandora glimmered, but nothing else happened. “Please...I just...I just want him back. He meant so much to me…” Even though Saguru was confused about it then, he knew exactly what he felt for Kuroba then, and wished he could still feel now. “I loved him…”

Kuroba and he probably could have never been anything more than friends, but Saguru had fallen in love with him for a single week. A week had all he’d been given before Kuroba had died in his arms. 

Three years later, Saguru was still chasing the past. Right now, he was about to break his No Crying rule and cry because the gem was doing nothing to bring Kuroba back. 

Saguru couldn’t stop the tears. He’d been foolish! There was no bringing back the dead, especially in such an unthought out fashion. He stomped his foot in anger, and then fell to the ground in sobs, gems dropping to the ground in front of him as he removed his mask and sobbed into his hands.

He’d lost everything in the last six years. His confidence in his abilities as a detective, in himself, and his ability to hold together his life was gone. And now he couldn’t bring back the one person who was meant to still be here. Kuroba hadn’t deserved to die!

“This would be a bad time to arrest you, KID.” 

Saguru removed his hands and looked sharply behind him. He didn’t grab for his mask, because he’d done it. He’d found Pandora, and could have it destroyed or hidden. That meant it was the end, right? 

Edogawa Conan stood there, looking worried for his supposed rival. He must have escaped the traps.

“This is the perfect time, tantei-san.” Saguru heard how croaky his voice sounded, and cringed. “I’m defenseless.” 

“No, you’re grieving..” Conan approached him, and crouched beside him. “That’s the one, right? The one the previous KID was searching for?” 

“It’s utterly useless though. Can’t even bring Kuroba back…” Saguru knew that was pretty much a confession of who he was, if Conan hadn’t already seen the details of his face. 

“Death does have a habit of being permanent. The only thing we can do is keep moving forward.” Conan grabbed Kuroba’s gem. “What is this?” 

“Kuroba himself. His mother has a sick sense of humor.” Saguru filtered all his contempt for the woman into his voice, and Conan nodded in agreement. 

There was a new change in the air, but not one of danger. Simply an agreement. A proper friendship. And when Conan held Pandora up to the moon to bask in its light and leaned a bit on Saguru while slipping the diamond back into Saguru’s pocket, Saguru felt a little bit more okay.


End file.
